McFarlane Hails Chelsea ‘Character’ After FA Cup Final Run Amid Turmoil
Interim Chelsea boss Calum McFarlane reaches FA Cup final in first game after Rosenior exit. Drew 1-1 with Guardiola at Etihad in January as caretaker.
After five PL losses without a goal, Chelsea beat Leeds 1-0 to reach first FA Cup final since 2022. Fernandez header sets up May 16 clash with Man City...
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane lauded his players’ “character“ after they put Liam Rosenior’s sacking behind them to beat Leeds 1-0 in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
McFarlane stepped in with Chelsea in turmoil after Rosenior’s departure on Wednesday ended a three-month reign.
The Blues are winless in their last five Premier League games and haven’t scored in any, marking their worst run since 1912.
That dismal run cost Rosenior his job and all but ended Chelsea’s hopes of Champions League qualification next season.
Rosenior’s strained relationship with Chelsea’s key players proved decisive in his dismissal.
But McFarlane, promoted from Rosenior’s backroom staff, managed to draw a more positive display from the squad at Wembley.
“We had to weather some storm and show a bit of character and grit while they threw everything at us. Probably the character was the most pleasing part,” McFarlane said.
“I think those lads showed how much they want to win and what they were willing to do to win a really important football game for the club.”
Chelsea have reached the FA Cup final for the first time since 2022 as they chase their first trophy in the competition since 2018.
They’ll face Manchester City in the final on May 16, and McFarlane knows beating Pep Guardiola’s side would go some way to salvaging Chelsea’s troubled season.
McFarlane Credits Instinct After Fernandez Heads Winner
Enzo Fernandez headed Chelsea's 23rd-minute winner in an ironic twist after his turbulent relationship with Rosenior, who dropped the Argentine midfielder for two games following his claim that he was considering leaving at the end of the season.
Enzo Fernandez headed Chelsea’s winner in the 23rd minute, an ironic turn after his strained relationship with Rosenior. The former boss had benched the Argentine midfielder for two games after he said he was weighing up an exit at the end of the season.
“Relief is the correct word. We were confident going into the game, we had a good three days, but you never know. We wanted to shift the momentum; our form hasn't been great,“ he said.
“We knew Leeds would think we were vulnerable. We knew we were in a bit of a vulnerable place.
“Then we started to take control of the game. Robert Sanchez's saves were massive for us. We haven't kept enough clean sheets recently.“
Fernandez returned to his best form against Leeds, with McFarlane saying: “The most impressive thing about him is that he's a fighter.”
Enzo Fernandez slots Chelsea ahead in the FA Cup semi-final ⚽
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“You don't have to have the perfect game plan in those moments; he will run and compete and that is often the deciding factor.”
McFarlane began this season in charge of Chelsea’s Under-21s, but he’s now into his second spell as interim boss after a brief stint following Enzo Maresca’s exit before Rosenior took over.
“I did it for a week before, so I kind of knew what I was stepping into. It's easier this time because I have a relationship with the players and I've worked with them for three or four months now,“ he said.
"I've been a part of the backroom staff, so I had a feel for what they needed psychologically. It's been intense.”
We’ll return to Wembley in May for the FA Cup final! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LQgHRdk8Ou
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 26, 2026
McFarlane’s limited managerial experience makes him the clear underdog against Guardiola.
But he’s already gone toe-to-toe with the City boss this season, guiding Chelsea to a 1-1 Premier League draw at the Etihad Stadium in January.
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